Mark Russ Federman, grandson of founder Joel Russ, took over the running of Russ & Daughters from his parents in 1978 and turned it over to the fourth generation, his daughter Niki and nephew Josh, in 2009. He has appeared individually and on panels at The Smithsonian Institute, The Museum of the City of New York, The New York Public Library, and The Conference of the Food Writers and Food Journalists Association, among many other venues. He makes frequent guest appearances on radio and television. Mark and Russ & Daughters were most recently featured on the PBS documentary The Jews of New York; on Lidia Bastianich's PBS series, Lidia Celebrates America; and on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.
"If you've ever lived in New York or have any affection for a bagel
and lox, you'll appreciate this look at one of New York's most
iconic food stores. Federman's history of his family and his store
will give you a crazy feeling of nostalgia, even if you weren't yet
born during the times he describes."
--Huffington Post, Best Food Books of 2013
"The only thing better than this forshpayz of memories,
photographs, and recipes would be a trip to East Houston Street to
'the house that herring built.' "
--Dawn Drzal, The New York Times Book Review "Federman's
voice pops from the page. . . . Russ & Daughters is a good
story well told, packed with zinging Yiddishisms and
better-than-average jokes that bubble up organically. You soak in
it, like brine, until you're pleasantly pickled."
--Dwight Garner, The New York Times "For centuries on end
philosophers have tried and failed to define the good life.
Federman's life as revealed here can hardly be reduced to a set of
impersonal abstractions, but if philosophers are willing to settle
for a case in point rather than a developed theory, let them read
his marvelous book."
--Jason Epstein, The Wall Street Journal "With crisp and
evocative details worthy of a Malamud short story, Federman conveys
an avuncular ardor for the feisty characters on both sides of the
Russ & Daughters counter. . . . He has turned over a bounty of fish
tales, immigrant lore, family photos, and recipes, assembling them
into a memoir as abundant in charm as the Russ inventory is in
gastronomic seductions."
--Jan Stuart, The Boston Globe "Much like its author, the
Russ & Daughters book is blunt and breezy. Along with family
history and Russ & Daughters lore, Federman shares recipes from the
haute (lox chowder) to the humble (classic egg cream). There's also
a glossary of fish that's as much social history as culinary
reference--who knew sturgeon once figured in a federal bribery
investigation?"
--Michael Kaminer, New York Daily News "A charming tale of a
Jewish immigrant family whose business grew from humble pushcart
origins to the internationally known powerhouse it is today. [The
book] bottles Federman's talent as a master schmoozer and offers a
nibble at the Russ & Daughters experience for those who can't make
it to New York's Lower East Side on a regular basis."
--Gothamist "Federman is an engaging narrator, and his
consideration of his grandfather's rise in the world of herring is
both honest and charming. . . . He traced his family history by
visiting rabbis and aged aunts, talking with longtime customers,
and calling on his memory of a childhood spent in the shop. Now
that his daughter and nephew run the store, Federman has enough
distance to talk about his years behind the counter and write this
thoughtful history of both a family and a neighborhood."
--The Brooklyn Rail "When I was a child, my father and I
would often stop at Russ & Daughters on Sundays, on our way to
Brooklyn to visit cousins. It was there, in that friendly,
wonderful store, that I learned the difference between nova and
lox, poppy seed and plain, cream cheese and farmer cheese, sable
and sturgeon. And now I am continuing the family tradition. Jude,
my two-year-old granddaughter, just visited the store and started
learning about the many types of herring, which she loves. I will
start reading this book to her just as soon as she can enjoy a
bagel with Baltic salmon and cream cheese."
--Martha Stewart "The grandson of the founder of J. Russ Cut Rate
Appetizing (the name changed to Russ & Daughters in 1935) tells a
remarkable story of family foresight and resiliency, and gives
fascinating details of early life among the teeming streets of New
York's Lower East Side in the first decades of the century. . . .
Including precious pictures and recipes, this work offers a savory
wealth of social history, told humorously and endearingly."
--Kirkus Reviews "The best thing in the world is to go to
Russ & Daughters. The next-best thing in the world is to read
Russ & Daughters."
--Oliver Sacks "Forget the Empire State Building, the Statue of
Liberty . . . New York City's greatest living institution is very
likely Russ & Daughters: a temple of uniquely New York
deliciousness, Zen-like perfection, and a repository of generations
of wisdom and experience. Mark Russ Federman's book is a story not
just about the food that made New York great, but a deeply felt
personal history. When visiting a new city for the first time, I've
always asked the question: 'What do they do here better than
anywhere else?' When visiting New York City for the first time, the
answer is always 'Russ & Daughters.' "
--Anthony Bourdain
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